The Importance of Adult Education
By Mike Lambrecht
Many of you have probably heard the announcements, seen the bulletin inserts, or even attended one of our offerings for adult education in the parish. We have studied the Bible from Genesis through Acts of the Apostles. We’ve also studied the Gospel of Matthew and the book of Revelation in detail. We’ve even taken a good hard look at Hell. Currently we have a series called “Catholicism 101” taking place that deals with a particular topic of the Church’s doctrine each month such as conversion, prayer, the Bible, and Sacraments.
Why am I telling you this? Because adult education is so very important. It is a sad fact that many individuals in the Church quit learning about the faith after being confirmed. They believe that they know enough about the faith or they are simply too busy to take the time to learn more. Unfortunately, for many, Confirmation is viewed as a kind of graduation in the Church. This attitude couldn’t be more incorrect.
In Confirmation, we receive the fullness of the gifts of the Holy Spirit which were first imparted in Baptism. Through the holy anointing with chrism, we are called to a mission, not a privilege. When the bishop or priest blesses us with the words, “Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit,” we are called to be witnesses of our faith in the world and to evangelize those around us. How are we to do this unless we know what the Church teaches?
How will we respond adequately when a coworker comes up to us and asks, “You’re a Catholic aren’t you? Could you explain to me why the Catholic Church teaches the Assumption of Mary?” Or, “What’s all this I hear about Transubstantiation?” Our response could dictate whether the person looks at becoming Catholic or walks away thinking that we are just another Catholic who doesn’t even know our faith.
Even more unnerving are the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church which state that “Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children” (2223). How are we to teach our children when they ask questions if we don’t understand the doctrines ourselves?
Unfortunately, the stereotype that most people have is that Catholics don’t know the Bible. I would like to tell you that this doesn’t have to be the case. All is not yet lost. Many Catholics that I have talked to know the Bible fairly well. They know the stories of Jesus. They can tell me about Moses, David, John the Baptist, Solomon, Adam and Eve, Abraham, Noah, etc. They just don’t know what book, chapter, or verse the scripture is coming from.
I would like to invite you to take a closer look at your faith. This summer, in this year dedicated to St. Paul, we are offering a 10 part study on First Corinthians. Our next Catholicism 101 offering will be June 14th on the Sacraments. This fall, we are offering a wonderful course on Church history. I encourage you to stop by and join us for one of our studies. If you do, you may be pleasantly surprised at how much you learn and how much you enjoy it.